WILKES-BARRE, Pa. (October 7, 2017) – The Rutgers University-Newark women's volleyball team could not right the ship today as they traveled to Wilkes University for a tri-match with the hosts and Lebanon Valley College. The Scarlet Raiders lost both matches, falling to Lebanon Valley 25-14, 25-15, 25-16 and to Wilkes by scores of 25-20, 25-22, 25-21. R-N is now 6-9 on the season.

Senior Morgan Schweitzer led the Scarlet Raiders with 15 kills over the two matches while junior Cassie Luken contributed 14 and sophomore Comfort Akinbo added 11. Schweitzer also had a squad-high 16 digs, senior Sue Riley racked up 15, and Luken tallied 14. Rookie Karly Gregoire orchestrated the offense with 43 assists.

Lebanon Valley 3, Rutgers-Newark 0
In the first set, R-N struggled to find a rhythm. The two sides were even at 4-4 early aided by a kill from Akinbo but the Dutchwomen won nine of the next 10 points to open up a lead they would not relinquish.

Lebanon Valley carried that momentum into the second set as the two teams followed a similar pattern. Rutgers-Newark was within 5-4 on the strength of a pair of spikes by Schweitzer but the Dutchwomen reeled off five consecutive points to earn a 10-4 edge. From there, LVC's lead only expanded as they opened up a 2-0 lead.

In the final set, Lebanon Valley started fast by winning the first five points. However, R-N rallied to take 10 of the next 12 points featuring kills from Luken and senior Rebecca Ford as well as an ace by Riley to gain a 10-8 edge. Unfortunately, the Dutchwomen came right back, reeling off nine out of 10 points to reclaim a 17-11 lead that they would turn into a 25-16 victory and 3-0 win.

Wilkes 3, Rutgers-Newark 0
The Scarlet Raiders flipped an 8-6 deficit into an 11-8 lead by taking five straight points in the opening set. R-N held an advantage as late as 15-13 but the Colonels took over the momentum with nine consecutive points en route to a 25-20 win.

The second stanza featured six ties and six lead changes as the sides went back-and-forth trying to gain control of the match. Trailing 18-13 late in the period, Rutgers-Newark rallied by winning seven out of the next nine points led by kills from Akinbo and Luken as well as a pair of aces by Gregoire to even the score at 20-20. Unfortunately, Wilkes immediately rebounded with four consecutive points to earn a 25-22 win.

In the final set, the squads traded the lead three times in the early going. The Colonels gained the upper hand with three consecutive points to take a 7-4 lead that they would expand for the remainder of the period. Down 22-15, the Scarlet Raiders made one last rally as Akinbo delivered three kills, Schweitzer added a pair, and Gregoire contributed an ace to cut the deficit to 24-21. Still, Wilkes was able to earn the match-clinching point, taking the set 25-21 and the contest 3-0.

Rutgers-Newark returns to New Jersey Athletic Conference action on Tuesday when they host Kean at 7 p.m. in The Golden Dome.